Compact Fluorescent buzz

Posted on by Patricia Beaumont

There’s a lot of buzz these days about how Compact
Fluorescent Lights (CFLs) are a great way to reduce energy consumption and save
money, but if you’re still a bit skeptical of all the talk or if you just don’t
know enough about them yet to want to make the switch, here are some quick
facts about the difference between CFLs and traditional incandescent bulbs.

First off, CFLs last, on average, 10 times longer than a standard incandescent bulb.  They’re also significantly more energy
efficient, using about a quarter as much energy.  In the summer, they have the added bonus of
giving off less heat, meaning that less energy will have to be used to cool the
room.

This can add up to major savings over the life of the
bulbs.  Though CFLs may cost more to
purchase than incandescent bulbs, they more than pay back for themselves over a
typical five-year lifespan; US News and World Report estimates that if a
household replaces 30 incandescent bulbs with CFLs, that can lead to a 12% drop
in the utility bill, with savings
between $440 and $1,500 per year!

If you’re interested in replacing the bulbs in your home,
you can purchase CFLs almost anywhere you’d go to purchase a normal light
bulb.  They come in different shapes,
wattages, colors, and are appropriate for almost any use in and around your
home or office.

Don’t like that harsh “fluorescent” lighting? CFLs also come
in a variety of different “color temperatures.”
This means you can stick with the bright white that’s usually associated
with fluorescent bulbs, or you can get ones with the same soft white as a
typical incandescent bulb.

If you’d like to see CFLs in your dorm or office, the
University of Rochester has its own CFL program as well.  If you’re located on the River Campus or the
Medical Center and would like to have the bulbs in your office switched out to
CFLs call x34567.  If you’re a student,
you can go straight to any Residential Life service desks to pick up a free CFL for your personal lamps.  Over the last academic year, the University
saved over $4,000 on the River Campus alone by swapping out about 1,500
bulbs.  The year prior, we saved over $25,000 across the whole University and
reduced our carbon footprint by 109 tons
of CO2!

The only tricky thing about CFLs is that they contain small
amounts of mercury, and therefore should
not just be thrown away with regular trash.
Instead, you can take them to your local Home Depot for easy and free
recycling, or follow the procedure above to dispose of bulbs if you work or
live on campus. If a bulb breaks, carefully sweep the pieces into a ziplock bag
and seal it immediately, to prevent
the mercury from spreading. Once the bag is sealed, dispose of it the same way
you would otherwise.

CFLs are a great way to save a bit of money and be
environmentally friendly at the same time, and at the University of Rochester,
it’s as easy as it can be.  Just call
x34567 and your old incandescent bulbs will be swapped out before you know it!

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9 Replies to “Compact Fluorescent buzz”

  1. Very interesting, I wonder what the long term impact on the environment is for these bulbes. I used to own a couple of them but they seemed not to be very reliable. It is also crazy to think that there has recently been such a huge shift towards sustainability with companies like https://www.skumaltd.co.uk/ and other in the water purification space. Do you guys think we have entered a new age?
    Cheers

  6. Compact fluorescent light bulbs noise because of the technology used in their construction. However, there are a few outside factors that can cause fluorescent bulbs to function in this way. CFLs bulbs utilize ballasts, which are engaged to manage the amount of electricity. And by using CFLs you can also save the energy.

  8. I am in full agreement, it is very important to properly clean up and dispose of broken lamps. At the University of Rochester we must follow the Used Fluorescent Lamp Management policy – http://www.facilities.rochester.edu/cu/docs/UsedFluorLamp.pdf

    This policy establishes the responsibilities of University Facilities and Services staff to ensure that used fluorescent
    lamps are managed in accordance with applicable state and federal regulations.

    Whole used fluorescent lamps will be managed as Universal Waste. Broken lamps must be managed separately as Hazardous Waste and must not be placed in the same containers as the whole lamps. Follow the guidelines in the Learner’s Guide for Responsible Hazardous Waste Management when managing and disposing of broken fluorescent bulbs. Be sure to contact the Facilities Department at x34567, if you have any questions.

  9. As this article states, CFLs do contain mercury, but they are a better solution, both economically and environmentally, than incandescent bulbs. The mercury is not high in quantity, however, it is still important for consumers to realize that they require special handling. The mercury vapor can be detrimental to handlers’ health—from those involved with handling new bulbs to people involved with storing, packaging and shipping used lamps. Mercury vapor, which can be absorbed through the skin or inhaled, can cause neurological damage, and when it gets into water, it can enter the food chain through fish. Read more about the dangers of mercury exposure here: http://vaporlok.blogspot.com/2010/05/preventing-health-and-safety-hazards.html.

    If a bulb is broken or burns out, it should be properly cleaned up and recycled—it should not be disposed of in landfills. To reduce the risk for mercury vapor exposure, CFLs and fluorescent lamps should be safely handled, stored and transported to recycling facilities in a package that is proven to effectively contain hazardous mercury vapor. Find out more about how to minimize environmental risks and safely package CFLs here: http://vaporlok.blogspot.com/2010/05/layers-of-protection-packaging-used.html. If a bulb breaks, consumers can learn more about clean-up procedures here: http://www.epa.gov/cfl/cflcleanup-detailed.html

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